My first choice is "touching the mangaka", and the close second is watching the mangaka draw.


Seeing as a lot of us here know English to a pretty decent level as a secondary language, I don't think it'd be such a tempting option.

Being the first one to see the next chapter.

That was a lot of reading to do while sleepy. But I can't just not vote it'll annoy me >.<

Anywho back on topic, yup seeing the next chapter before anyone else would give me such joy.

>Touching the mangaka
>Seeing the mangaka's face
>Breathing in the same air as the mangaka
>Having the mangaka's phone number

Creepy... Is this a poll for stalkers?

I wouldn´t throw away my English skilZ (i even have a degree) for Japanese as i would have no problem to get back on the horse with such an easy language but all my hobbies relate to that very skill so i would be boned for about 2 years.

Going with the notion that actually want to have a career in this scenario i go with Being listed in the credits for a series despite the experience gain being important too. Assistant usually aren´t paid their worth or work for nothing (comparable to an internship) and do it to get a foot into the industry. I can guarantee you that nothing will make future editors take more notice than that one worked on big hit X for a sizable amount of time. Most big mangaka started out as assistant and only assistant with special skills as CG backgrounds can survive without their own career in the end.
Getting to see the next Berserk chapter isn´t tempting to me as how often does that happen and i am a patient man overall.

Gaining experience as an artist
but honestly, everything

New Poll - Mangaka Assistant

OR Creepers Please Check In ...

Does anyone know what an assistant usually makes as i have read vastly different figures and they don´t neceseraly have to be artist as they can consult on legal, historical and so on matters. They are also only listed in the tankōbon and not in the magazine.
Shuho Sato (started out as an assistant as most) revealed some interesting facts about his "not so hot" salery a few years ago and then had his Black Jack ni Yoroshiku go out of print. You can read about it here and i would be surprised if assistants would have time to creep with the workload they are given. None of the options include actual friendship...

Edit: I also read the blog oriana3k posted and it is interesting despite being a bit "energetic".

i chose "Breathing in the same air as the mangaka"

though i'd probably die of toxic air. gorilla sensei is gross

The "gaining experience as an artist" really should be combined with the getting paid item. That's because if you get paid, you will be gaining experience as an artist. The essence of making polls is to not have various poll answers cannibalize the answers of other questions or to have one possible answer distract attention from the other answers. That's because if just one of the answers is "sensational" or "hyped up" in nature, some people will pick that as their answer even though they would normally pick one of the other answers.

Employers typically ask how much were you paid because that will be the measure of your worth to that employer. So to those aspiring mangaka people who answered the poll seriously, most should have picked "Getting Paid" as the most significant answer. Getting paid a little means your future prospective employer at your next job interview will discount your experience there as compared to someone doing the same job but paid a lot more.

Such stalker-y choices!

I don't want to work with a mangaka...my Art skill sucks to begin with...then again, even if it's another position than a helper Artist, it's not actually as easy as it sounds like...sometimes you have to work overtime to meet the deadline...

So, It's Other for me!!

Fun poll. Anyone curious about being a mangaka's assistant should give Jamie Lynn Lano's blog and/or book a read. She was an assistant on Prince of Tennis.

Getting paid.

Like most minimal level jobs these days, being an ASSISTANT to a mangaka generally pays nothing, at best. Seeing the first chapter, working with the mangaka, getting experience, all that stuff is great; but if you're not paying your bills, it doesn't matter how much you like it, you won't be doing it for long.

Being part of the creation of a great series and watching over its development.

Witnessing the mangaka at work. Definitely. If I were to be an assistant to a mangaka like Inoue Takehiko or Obata Takeshi I would work myself hard just to witness his techniques and processes first hand. It'd double as Gaining experience as an artist. I wouldn't mind the salary as long as I make enough for my basic expenses. And if I could contribute something to that art, even if its just something as little as borders, etc. I would be very happy.